The Right Stuff
by TheFABFive2015
Summary: TAG 2015. A missing scene from Heavy Metal. Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. Scott Tracy's just happens to be his youngest brother.


Well, wasn't that mid season finale an episode and a half? I mean, seriously - _wow_!

And for Alan to be the hero at the end - just brilliant. As much as I love my Virgil, I thought it was wonderful for the little Squirt to step up to the plate, and help his big brother out of some serious trouble. With that in mind, I thought it would be nice for Scott to thank him properly - and, maybe, give his baby brother the credit he deserves, but doesn't always get.

This story takes place just before the boys walk into the SHC facility. Again, what a fabulous scene. I'm sure I'm not the only one who absolutely _loved_ it!

Enjoy!

* * *

The Right Stuff

Scott Tracy had been born to fly. To his pilot's soul, there was no better feeling in the world than to be strapped into his seat, pulling as many g's as his exhilarated body could handle. Right now, though - damn, he'd never be more grateful to get safely back on the ground. From the judders he could still feel running through her fuselage as they touched down, he knew his 'bird felt the same way. Even by his white knuckle standards - yeah, _that_ had been close.

"Sorry, girl... yeah, that was one hell of a ride for you too," he said at last, giving his seat the kind of pat he'd usually give to cheer up his brothers. If they could see him now, talking to his 'bird like this, they'd... _oh_ , _God_.

As quickly as it had appeared, the smile turned into a wincing frown. John. Virgil. Gordon. Alan. God, how any of them would have reacted if he hadn't pulled out of that dive -

'... _no_ , _Scooter_ , _don't let yourself go there_... _c'mon_ , _you big wuss_ , _just breathe_... _breathe_...'

Easier done than thought, of course - especially when he recalled that moment when Virgil had faced the same, unthinkable fate.

" _I'm going down_... _repeat, Thunderbird Two is going down_..."

It was oddly unnerving too, that his hands were still shaking. Adrenalin rush, he told himself, tagging on another self-cheering afterthought. As his father had told him after his first test flight, it was okay to see it, to feel it. All perfectly normal.

 _'Don't fight it, son... just let it happen, it'll let you up when you're ready_...'

Through a reflective smile, Scott felt his heart rate return to more comfortable double figures. Breathing didn't feel as though he had a herd of elephants sitting on his chest. And when he released his harness and stood gingerly upright, his legs stayed reassuringly solid beneath him. Scott wasn't vain in any way, but... well, he _was_ the head of International Rescue. And it really wouldn't do if his first act on reaching the ground was to faceplant himself onto it.

Giving each leg a testing shake, just to make sure, he then settled back into his seat, and hit the lever that would lift him into the world outside. And, just as he'd expected, the first person he saw barrelling towards him was the kid brother who'd just saved his life.

" _SCOTTTT_!"

Yeah, for such a tiny body, Alan Tracy could make one hell of a lot of noise. But his eldest brother wasn't about to complain. Hell, he wasn't complaining at all. Instead, with gravity now blessedly back to normal, he caught him under his shoulders, and swung him clear off the ground. Hugged him back just as tightly, sharing the pure joy of his laughter - and found it even harder than usual to let him go.

From the stranglehold around his neck, Alan didn't want to let him go either. From relief, and delight, and so much else, Scott could feel him shaking, and - yeah, he knew his brother would be feeling it from him too.

Finally, though, he set Alan back on his feet, and grinned at him with more pride than any words could ever convey. Kept one arm wrapped tightly around him as Gordon rushed in for his share of the celebrations. By the time Virgil reached them - hell, he just didn't have any hands or arms left. Instead, he used the pure relief on his face to stop Smother Brother in training in his tracks.

"I'm fine, Virg... thanks to this little Einstein here, I'm fine."

"Yeah, _someone's_ been boning up on his physics," Gordon agreed, throwing his brother an equally impressed grin. "Great save, bro... I don't think even John could have come up with that!"

Still buzzing from his own adrenalin rush, Alan's response shot out of his mouth before he could stop it.

"Yeah, I don't suppose he'd have thought to blow up that Collider either!"

As one beaming grin faded, so Scott's turned to the subtlest frown. Feelings were still running high, he knew that. Understood it, too, but... well, even those allowances still had their limits.

"Hey, you _both_ did great today," he said at last, giving his youngest brother just enough of a glare to tell him to rein it in. "Gordon had to act fast on his instincts, Alan... just like you did."

As he'd hoped, Alan was already nodding - holding up his hand for a peacemaking high five that was returned with a reassuring 'thwack.' After another fourway hug, another Tracy tradition made its forgiveness complete. If that irresistibly rufflable head hadn't been tousled before, it surely was now. And however loudly Alan protested, however much he wriggled -

"...awww, _Scooooootttt_!"

\- Scott knew how much he loved it.

At least, that's what he'd always told himself. In truth, he'd never thought to ask. In his eyes, it was just another of those big brother privileges that made up for all the sleepless nights these crazy kids caused him. One thing he knew for sure, though. He'd never, _ever_ , try it out on Virgil. Instead, still cherishing the pout on Alan's face, he spread that teasing wisdom to the day's other lifesaver.

"Though I'm pretty sure just _one_ torpedo would've done it."

"Hey, I had to be sure!" Gordon retorted, a brightening grin quickly dispelling any trace of defensiveness. "And you've gotta admit, that was a pretty spectacular boom!"

Any response that Scott may have had was lost in a tide of laughter, and... _damn_ , this kid was good! Scarily destructive at times, but... yeah, still pretty good all the same.

Still laughing, Scott turned his more serious attentions back to Alan. After the thrilling rush came the draining crash, and... yes, he could already see it starting to creep into his brother's eyes. Having the lives of those you loved more than life itself depending on your split second decision - yeah, been there. Done that. Had the first grey hairs to prove it.

Draping his arm back around Alan's shoulders, he drew him into an instantly returned hug. Quietly said what he had to say. The words he knew his bright, brave and brilliant little brother needed to hear.

"Hey, remember what I said to you when you rescued Ned Tedford off that asteroid?"

He'd assumed that Alan had needed one of their more serious, heart-to-heart chats. Unfortunately, those assumptions were a little... off.

"You mean the whole 'was I was gonna do something Alan Tracy crazy, or should I be worried crazy?'"

Really not helped by the splutters of laughter beside him, Scott threw his still bright, brave and brilliant, but now smart-mouthed little brother a playful glare.

"Oh, you're just _never_ gonna let me forget that, are you?"

Answered by another maddening grin, and more less than loyal sniggers, Scott just raised his eyes heavenward. Three against one? Yeah, that _officially_ sucked. And it didn't exactly help his cause that he was now laughing as much as the rest of 'em.

"No, what I was _trying_ to say was how proud I was of you then," he said at last, still smiling but giving Alan's shoulder enough of a squeeze to let him know he was trying to be serious. And just to make sure his little brother got the message this time, he bent down to lightly kiss the top of his head. Brushed his fringe out of his eyes, so that he'd see the pride and gratitude in his own.

"But that doesn't come close to how proud I am of you now... you didn't just save the day here, kiddo, you saved my life too... so for today, and the rest of our lifetimes, Alan... thank you..."

Yeah, that did it. Those already big blue eyes now threatened to fall out of their sockets. And since they were suspiciously bright too now, Scott pulled him into another tight hug, while his other arm somehow managed to fit around two other, now equally emotional brothers.

A truly special, meaningful moment. Yet Scott had the distinct feeling that it wasn't going to last for long.

"So, um... Scott?"

"Yes, Alan?"

"Can we go see the mess that Gordon's made?"

Aaaand that did it again.

" _Hey_!"

Oh, good grief. At this rate, he'd be sending these two miscreants to their rooms. And trying to get support from a brother who was enjoying all this just way too much was just _never_ going to happen.

"Just give it up, Scooter... you won't go grey so fast that way."

 _'Yes, thank you, Virgil, I'd kinda pegged that already.'_

More convinced than ever now, that the whole damn universe was against him, Scott led three still grinning brothers into the building ahead of them. Flexed some lingering aches from his neck and shoulders, while Alan wiped a niggling tickle of smoke from his nose. Listened with fond indulgence as the Terrible Twins set off another round of brotherly insults.

"Boy, I'm glad that's over... I thought I was gonna be squashed..."

"Now that you mention it, you _do_ look a little shorter..."

It was Virgil, though, who took in the scene of utter destruction ahead of them - and made his eldest brother's humdinger of a day just about _perfect_.

"Uh, Scott? We _are_ insured for this... _right_?!"


End file.
